Cord carrier for braiding machines



Oct. 27, 1936. R M, SCOTT ET AL .2,058,917

CORD CARRIER FOR BRADING MACHINES Filed April l0,y 1936 ni lang 'ilmy II, "Ilan-mlm! 1 Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE CORD CARRIER FOR BRAIDIN'G MACHINES Island `Application April 10, 1936,1Serial No. j 73,672

'Claims. (Cl. 96--15.)

The `presentinvention relatesy to cord carriers .for braidingmachines and more particularly-to the type of-carrier adapted for use with the braid- `ingofzrelatively heavy cord; as in the formation .15 `of cordage, heavy braids or the like.

' -One object of'the invention is the provision of a `simple and elicient -device of this character adapted particularly for use with heavy cords and having the `parts so constructed and arrangedias 'tor-provide relativelysmooth and uni- `form operationl in the normal use of the mechanism.

rAnother object of the invention is theprovision of Asimple Vand efficient guiding `means for the tension member so :arranged v as to provide relatively smooth and accurate guideswhich-are positively held .against displacement, while fat the same time being capable of ready removal or. replacement.

20 A further object of the inven-tion'is theprovi- -sonof a` combination of elements `adapted for applying .tension to the cordrstrand insuch a manneras to eiciently tension the samefwithout renderingit liable to abrasion orxinjury` through .25 being caught in themovingparts of thetension- 4ing mechanism.

Other `objectsand advantages ofthe invention relate to various improved details of construction and combinations and arrangements of the 130 parts as willbe more fully setiorth inzthe detailed description to.. follow.

Referring to the frdrawingt Fig. 1 is .an elevational View of the .carrier member, showing a cord'carryngbobbin in position thereon andlillustrating generally the path of travel of the cord strand from lthe bobbinrto the thread delivery eye,`

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of. the carrier with the.bobbin removed, showing. the position of ,the tension member inA normal operation for applying tension to the cord, .as well as an equalizing member shown in operative relation with the spindle for assisting in maintaining substantial uniformity in the rate of travel of the cord,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through one of the tension member guide shafts, showing the position of the parts and illustrating their ready accessibility, and,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herewith I designates the base of the carrier Which'is adapted to `seat upon the top plate of the braiding machine for travel thereon in la pre- .determined path under the influence of any suitable form of driving mechanism (not shown) ,the 4oscillatory `movement of the carrier being con- `trolled by guide means 2 and 4 which may be formed integral with the base after a manner :well known in the art.

formed as a single casting and carries a spindle 3 Iorsupporting a reel or spool 5 having its axis of rotation vertically positioned relative to the hori- `zontal plane of the top plate of the braider. The spool 5 is provided with the usual ends 6 and 1, -the end 'Ihaving a plurality of teeth 8 projecting 'from the outer face thereof for a purpose which will be more fully described.

frame member II) may be formed integral 'with or carried by the base I from which it extends upwardly in substantial parallelism with thevspindle 3. The frame I0 is provided with oppositelypositionedtransverse arms I2 extending outwardly `from opposite sides thereof for supporting with thebase a pair of spaced guide members III and I5 in parallel relation with each k'otherfior guiding a movable tension member I6.

Each transverse arm I2 is provided with an lopening I'Ilocated in opposed relation with a threadedopening I8 formed in the base I for the reception of one of the spaced guide members. Eachfguide member comprises an enlarged portion' and a reduced portion 2| the end of which is adapted to be threaded within the opening I8 yformed in thebase plate. The enlarged portion 2li forms with the reduced portion 2I an external shoulder 22 `which is engageable with one end of a coiled spring 23 positioned within a sleeve 24 y--carrled by or forming a part of the tension member I6. The opposite end of the coiled spring 23- `seats-fagainst an internal shoulder 25 carried by "thersleeve' 'M` whereby the tension of the springs 'f23 'is-effective to urge the tension member I6 VVtowards the base I.

The-frame member IU is provided with a guide yopeningf26y which maybe located at a suitable pointihtermediatethe base I and the oppositely positioned transverse arms I2 for directing the fcord-,ZI outwardly from the spool 5 towards that eportion Vof the tension member connecting the `sleeves 24. A thread groove 28 may be formed in that ffaceof Ytheframe member I0 which is located outwardly from the spool 5 and extends downvWardly'of the frame memberfrom the guide opening-'ZB towards acord guide member 29 carried by -vvthe `tension member I6 and located substantially lmidwayibetween the sleeves 24.

T'Ihe vframeV member I0 extends above the trans- Vvverse arms'I2 and is provided with a cord delivery eye-30 tofwhich the cord' 21 passes from the The base I is preferably openings to slidably receive a shaft 36 providedatl one end thereof with a detent 31 angularly positioned to engage one of the teeth 8 carried by the end 1 of the spool 5. i

The detent 31 is so positioned as to slidablyl engage one face of an angular lug 38 carried by the frame member I 0 when in tooth engaging position, which lug serves as a supporting bearing for the detent 31 and prevents it from being turned out of engagement with a tooth 8 through the pressure exerted by tension applied to the cord. The lower end portion of the shaft 36 ex,- tends downwardly below the arm I2 andy is engageable by a lug 40 carried by the tension member I6 when the tension member is raised to a point at or approaching its position of greatest tension. A coiled spring 42 is carried by the shaft 36 between the arms 34 and I2, and may have one end thereof bearing against the arm 34, as indicated at 43, while the opposite end may be secured to the shaft 36, as by means of a pin-44. This manner of connecting the spring to the shaft 36 and lug 34 automatically rotates the shaft 36 into position to bring the detent 31 into tooth engaging position after the shaft 36 has been turned to permit the removal and replacement of a bobbin, while the compression ofthe spring 42 caused by upward movement of the shaft 36 serves to return the shaft into position for the detent 31 to engage the teeth 8 when upward pressure on the shaft by the tension member I6 is released.

A cylindrical sleeve 45 may be positioned about the shaft 36 and the spring 42 to protect these parts from injury and prevent the-accumulation of dust and lint thereon. 'Ihe parts may be assembled by rst placing the spring 42 in the sleeve 45 and inserting the shaft 36 after the sleeve-is located properly between the lug 34 and arm I2. Slots 46 formed in the sleeve allow the insertion of the pin 44 and the connection of the end portion of the spring thereto.

A post 48 may be carried by thebase I and located substantially parallel with the spindle 3 for supporting a spring pressed equalizing member 5U in position to engage the cord material wound upon the bobbin and exert a retarding action thereon effective during the intervals when the detent 31 is raised out of engagement with the teeth 8. One or more tension springs 5I may be coiled about the post 48 for pressing the equalizing member 5U into frictional engagement with the cord material on the spool, which spring may also be shaped to provide a support for the equalizing member 50, if desired, after the manner shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the spring 5I are shown as anchored to the post48 or base I, as at 52 and 53, to provide for the applicationy of suitable pressure upon the equalizing member 50.

The parts are shaped to provide adequate clearance between the lower vertical portion of the frame I and the tension member I6, as indicated at 54, whereby the tension member is maintained entirely out of contact with the frame member I0 during its vertical movement and is slidably supported solely by the guide members I4 and terial to be formed.

out of contact with a tooth 8.

I5. In this way there is no material frictional resistance to the movement of the tension member, and the cord is maintained substantially out of abrading engagement with the moving parts of the frame and tension member.

In the operation of the structure shown, a spool 5 of the type of cord desired for use is placed on the spindle 3 and the cord end passed through the guide opening 26, guide member 29 and delivery eye 3U for incorporation in the ma- In removing or replacing a spool5, the detent 31 is rst turned outwardly against the tension of the spring 42 to permit the removal of the spool, and is returned to its ,A operative tooth engaging position by the spring l42 after a fresh spool has been placed on the spindle. The operation of the braider draws cord by the detent 31 engaging one of the teeth 8, until the tension member I6 is drawn upwardly against the force of the springs 33 applying tension to the cord. As the applied tension increases, beyond a predetermined point which may be regulated byv the` strength of the springs 23, the lug 40 engages the shaft 36 to raise the detent 31 The shaft 36 and detent 31 are quickly returned to their initial positions by the spring 42 after the tooth is released to bring the detent 31 into engagement with the next or a suitable succeeding tooth of the series. At the same time the tension member falls to a lower tensioning position and the same operation is repeated. In this way the coiled springs 33 tend to maintain a substantially uniform tension varying within a narrow range upon the arrangement of the parts the cord 21 is malnf tained generally out of contact with the surface of the frame to prevent soiling or abrasion of the cord.

The guide members I4 and I5, being each rmly supported at opposite ends provide rigid guides= for the tension members and insure a high degree of uniformity in its operation. By means of the present construction the guide members I4 and I5,may be readily removed and replaced at any time without dismantling the structure, either for the purpose of replacing the guide members or to substitute springs 23 of different strength if desired.

It will be noted also that the cord guide 29 carried by the tension member is of such construction as to permit easy threading and is also located in spaced relation with the frame I0 so that the cord is maintained substantially out of contact with the frame except, as it passes through the guide opening 26. The provision of a cylindrical cover plate 44 for the shaft 36 and spring 42 serves to insure a more uniform operation of these parts by preventing the accumulation of dust and lint upon the spring 42.

The spring pressed equalizing member 50 frictionally engages the cord material on the spool 5 with a force which diminishes as the cord material passes from the spool, thereby tending to equalize the length of cord released at each actuation of the shaft 36 and rendering more uniform the feeding of cord from the spool.

What We claim is:

1. In a cord strand carrier for braiding ma chines, a base portion provided with a bobbin carrying spindle and having a fixed frame carried thereby and located in substantial parallelism with said spindle, spaced guide members xedly supported by said base portion and frame at opposite ends thereof, a tension member slidably mounted upon said spaced guide members and spaced from said frame, resilient means engageable with portions of said spaced guide members and said tension member for applying tension to a cord, and means carried by said tension member and located outwardly of said fixed frame for receiving a cord from the bobbin to guide the same and apply tension thereto while maintaining the same at all times outwardly of the contiguous surfaces of said fixed frame and tension member. v

2. In a cord strand carrier for braiding machines, a base portion provided with means for rotatably supporting a bobbin and having a xed frame member carried thereby and located in substantial parallelism with the bobbin support, spaced guide members removably supported in said fixed frame member and base portion, a tension member slidably supported by said spaced guide members and `naving a portion located outwardly of and spaced from said fixed frame member, said fixed frame member being provided with thread guiding means and a thread delivery eye, and means carried by said tension member and located outwardly of said iixed frame member for guiding a cord strand from said fixed frame member to said cord delivery eye while maintaim ing the same substantially out of direct contact with the outer surface of said iixed frame member.

3. A cord strand carrier for braiding machines comprising a vertically positioned bobbin carrying spindle, vertically positioned guide members each having the opposite ends thereof xedly supported for guiding opposite sides of a tension member, a tension member slidably supported by said guide members, spring means between each, said guide member and the tension member exerting balanced tension upon opposite sides of said tension member, a cord delivery member, a stationary cord guide, and a movable cord guide carried by said tension member for applying tension to the cord at a point intermediate the stationary cord guide and cord delivery member. 4. A strand carrier for braiding machines com prising a base provided with a. bobbin supporting spindle, a frame member carried by the base located in opposed relation with said spindle, arms extending outwardly from opposite sides of said frame member, detachable guide members each removably supported in xed relation with the frame by one of said arms and the base respectively, a tension member slidably supported by said guide members and spaced from said frame member, spaced strand guiding means carried by said frame member, and means carried by said tension member for guiding and tensioning the strand engageable with the strand between the spaced strand guiding means and so positioned as to maintain that portion of the strand between the strand guiding means substantially out of contact with the frame member. 5. In a cord carrier for braiding machines, a base provided with a vertically positioned bobbin carrying spindle and having a frame member carried thereby and located in substantial parallelism with the spindle, a bobbin carried by said spindle, vertically positioned fixed guide members supported by said base and frame, a tension member slidably supported by said guide member, cord guiding means carried by said frame and tension member respectively for guiding the cord and subjecting the same to tension from said tension member, and a resiliently actuated equalizing member mounted for rictional engagement with the cord material on the bobbin for equalizing the lengths of cord discharged from the bobbin during corresponding time intervals.

ROGER M. SCOTT. JOHN G. ALDRICH. 

